Twins had great idea -- $15 for BP -- should have stuck with it

There is somebody in the Twins braintrust really thinking. Let's charge $15 for batting pratice.

That's a revenue stream which hasn't been explored yet. Even so after a few complaints on radio and twitter, the Twins say it was a premature news release. That there's nothing to it.

I sure wasn't complaining and never will. What an ingenious way to get publicity. It would have gone national, maybe global.

And you always need new revenue streams. And BP could just be the start.

How about $5 to watch the groundscrew mow the grass and rake the infield?

Maybe $3 to stare at the concession people as they get their stands ready? They might give you a taste, if you look real hungry.

Another $3 to observe the ball boys get the bat racks loaded up?

The possibilities are limitless. Only your imagination stands in the way.

And postgame, how about $5 to watch the workers clean the Target Field, expertly sweeping away and then picking up those peanut shells, hot dog wrappers and empty cups of spilled pop? For $5 more you can join them and be a part of the "Twins" team. Maybe get a "I clean up for the Twins" patch for another $5? Nah, that's too cool. Make it $10 for the patch.

Boy, if the Twins did all this, the money would come pouring in. There would be no more talk of being a small-market team. The $15-for-BP idea could have just grown and grown.

Please call the Twins and ask them to reconsider quashing it. The clever BP promotion -- and all its offshoots -- could have legs. [That's hip jargon for something that could catch on.]

Roman Augustoviz spends Minnesota's winters covering college hockey, specifically the Gophers, and other University of Minnesota sports. During the summer, he writes about the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx, with a dose of U sports sprinkled in. Follow @RomanStrib on Twitter. E-mail Roman.